Taylor Armstrong decided to divorce Russell Armstrong when she was booted from "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills," a source says.AP

Taylor Armstrong may have filed for divorce from her allegedly abusive husband Russell Armstrong — who committed suicide in August — because it was her only shot of staying on “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,” a new report says.

A source close to the Bravo series tells Radar Online, “[Taylor knew] for a very long time that she needed to leave Russell because of the verbal and physical abuse. Being taken off a show that she loved doing because of his actions was the catalyst that finally made her pull the trigger on her marriage.”

On last Monday night’s episode of the show, castmate Kyle Richards tearfully asked the Armstrongs to leave a party, after it was alleged that Russell had threatened a lawsuit against Camille Grammer for discussing his reported abusive behavior toward his wife on air.

According to Radar, Grammer wasn’t the only one to receive such a letter.

“Russell started sending blistering letters and emails to Bravo and NBC Universal executives threatening lawsuits,” the source reveals. “Bravo and NBC decided that Russell and Taylor were more trouble than they were worth, and decided to end filming with them.”

Bravo allegedly banned the couple from appearing on the show again, and shot an episode without Taylor, which will air on Monday, claims the source.

“The episode that will air on Monday night will show all of the girls except Taylor going to Hawaii. Taylor will call the girls, and tell them on speakerphone that she had decided to leave Russell,” the source says. “Taylor decided to pursue the separation first, but then she thought to get back on the show, she would need to file for divorce, so that she could appear on the show again, if she promised executives that she was leaving him for good.”

Sadly, the Armstrong’s story turned even more tragic after Taylor filed for divorce. In August, Russell Armstrong’s body was found hanging from a pipe in a friend’s house, where he was living.

Since then, Taylor has been picking up the pieces.

“I am learning to love myself,” Taylor recently told Star magazine. “I’m OK being by myself and just being a mom. I’ve got to make sure that my little girl is in the best place possible before anything else.”